Keith Saltojanes
Keith Saltojanes is an award-winning* sketch and improv comedian, actor, director, and teacher currently residing in Los Angeles. Performer Bio Keith Saltojanes began his formal training of improvisation in 2004 while attending the University of Central Florida Conservatory Theatre and became one of the leading forces in the expansion of the Central Florida improv community. While there, he studied with Jeff Wirth (founder of StoryBox and Iplay) and later with David Knoell (alum of ImprovOlympic Chicago). He became a founding member of Central Florida's premiere long form improvisational group, The Derelict Toys, who went on to tour the United States and perform a multitude of shows and were called "One of the best improv troupes from around the country" by the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. After graduating with a Bachelors degree in Theatre Performance, he studied with Sak Comedy Lab and Richard Paul and began performing with Crash&Burn Comedy (an off-shoot of The Derelict Toys) and with short form group Absent Minded Improv, who he helped lead into performing a new long form show voted "Best of The Festival" at the annual Orlando International Fringe Festival. In Los Angeles, Keith studied at IO West, Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, The Groundlings, Second City, and with such comedic luminaries as Bob Odenkirk, Kevin McDonald, Charna Halpern, Susan Messing, Bob Dassie, Craig Cackowski, Ed Greenberg, Eric Moneypenny, Heather Anne Campbell and extensively with Miles Stroth. Among the many on-screen credits to his name, Keith has performed in hundreds of improv and comedy shows at such places as the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater, iO West, Second City, SF Sketchfest, Del Close Marathon, Chicago Improv festival, and Los Angeles Comedy Festivals. Keith currently performs weekly with another group he co-founded; resident iO West team, English Speaking Moose, and writes and performs with his sketch group, Brute Squad at UCB Theater and iO West (winners of the 10th Annual Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival Sketch Competition and Mainstage Headliner House Sketch Team as iO West). As Teacher While in Central Florida, Keith became one of the weekly teachers of the improv workshop called "Improv Gym" where students could learn and practice long form improvisation; the only place to do so in the region. In Los Angeles, he founded the independent workshop ImprovLA, where he acts as the head instructor and hosts a podcast of the same name. Keith has been teaching improvisers, non-improvisers, actors, comedy groups, corporate employees and executives the skills of improvisation all over the country and most recently at iO West in Hollywood, California and The Miles Stroth Workshop Sketch program as well as being nominated Coach of the Year at the Year at the Del Close Awards. Groups * English Speaking Moose (2009-currently) * Brute Squad (2011-currently) * Yin-Yang (2010-currently) * Absent Minded Improv (2008-2009) * Crash&Burn Comedy (2007) * The Derelict Toys (2004-2007, 2011 Reunion Show) * Jesse's Friends (2004) Current Shows * The One Hour Improv Festival -- iO West (weekly show, Creator/Host) * Brute Squad -- UCB, iO West (Headliner House Sketch Team monthly show, Writer/Performer) * English Speaking Moose -- various venues around Los Angeles * ImprovLA Night of Improv -- Graduation showcase (Host and Creator) Past Shows Keith has performed in hundreds of improv and sketch comedy shows and in a large number of different forms. Here is a partial list: * Del Close Marathon -- UCB Theatre, New York * Not Too Shabby -- UCB Theatre, Los Angeles * Spank -- UCB Theatre, Los Angeles * SF Sketchfest -- Dark Room, San Francisco * Improv Through The Night -- Chicago Improv Festival * Ching Chong Bundy -- UCB Theatre, New York * Something Wonderful -- Abingdon Theatre, New York * Los Angeles Improv Festival w/ Miles Stroth -- iO West, Los Angeles * Family Dinner w/ Jeff Hawkins -- iO West, Los Angeles * Ok, Intriguing Comedy -- iO West, Los Angeles (house team) * ADT Smash Night -- iO West, Los Angeles (monthly show) * Bobby Hot Stuff -- iO West, Los Angeles * Mystic Mondays -- iO West, Los Angeles * Michael McCarthy’s Comedy Lab -- iO West, Los Angeles (weekly show) * Los Angeles Comedy Festival -- Theater Asylum * English Speaking Moose with Landry & Summers -- M.i.'s Westside Comedy Theater, Santa Monica * Mooster Sword -- 2011 Valley Improv Festival, Los Angeles * The Harold -- Chicago, New York, Orlando * Bat -- Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando * Deconstruction -- Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando * Armando -- Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando * The Movie -- Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando * The Banter -- Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando * La Ronde -- Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando * Monoscene -- Los Angeles, Chicago, Orlando * Impressionistic Horror -- Chicago, New York, Orlando, Los Angeles, * The One Act -- Chicago, Orlando, Los Angeles * The Lotus -- Chicago, Orlando, Los Angeles * Addy Awards -- Hard Rock Live (opening act) * Central Florida Improv Jam -- Orlando (Creator/Host) * Family Dinner -- Austins CF Stage, Orlando (Creator) * Derelict Toys Present -- Austins CF Stage, Orlando (weekly show) * Absent Minded Improv -- Taste Lounge, Orlando (weekly show) * Crash & Burn Comedy -- La Luna Lounge, Orlando (weekly show) * Cocktails & Cosmos -- Darden Theater, Orlando (monthly show) * Something Else: A Sketch Show -- UCF Conservatory Mainstage (writer/performer) Awards * Winner of the 2012 Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival Sketch Competition (with Brute Squad) * Winner of the 2012 Iron Sketch Competition (with Brute Squad) * Winner Best Special Interest School or Instruction by the 2012 Los Angeles Community Award Program (as Improv-LA) * 5 Time Receiver of "Admirable Instinct For Writing", UCF One Act Festival (with The Derelict Toys) * 2 Time Official Selection of the Del Close Marathon, Upright Citizens Brigade Theater (with The Derelict Toys) * Nominee: 2011/2012 Del Close Awards: Best DCT Show (with English Speaking Moose) * Nominee: 2013 Del Close Awards: Coach of the Year * Nominee: 2012/2013 Del Close Awards: Best Sketch Show (with Brute Squad) * Nominee: 2012 INNY Awards: Best Instructor * Nominee: 2012 INNY Awards: Best Training Center (Improv-LA) * Nominee: 2012 INNY Awards: Best Long Form Group (with English Speaking Moose) * Official Selection of the San Francisco Sketchfest (with Brute Squad) * Official Selection: 2011/2012 Los Angeles Improv Festival (with English Speaking Moose) * Official Selection: 2011 Valley Improv Festival (with English Speaking Moose) * Official Selection: 2011 Los Angeles Comedy Festival Spotlight Series (with English Speaking Moose) * Official Selection: 2006 Chicago Improv Festival's "Improv Through The Night" (with The Derelict Toys) Trivia * Keith is the creator of the long forms, Family Dinner. * In 2010, Keith, along with his group English Speaking Moose, wrote, directed, and performed in a sketch comedy pilot for IFC that was based off the Deconstruction and featured a member of The Family, Miles Stroth. * With The Derelict Toys, Keith once performed 36 hours of continuous improv for the show "Improv Through The Night" as part of The Chicago Improv Festival * Keith is also a trained clown and juggler, and has many television credits as such. Websites * Keith's Official Website * Improv-LA workshop * Improv-LA podcast * The One Hour Improv Festival iO West page * Official website of English Speaking Moose * UCB Comedy page Category: Performers Category: Improv Teachers Category: Los Angeles Category: IO Theater Category:Teachers